Chivas: Who stays and who goes for the 2016 Apertura

While the Clausura 2016 is yet to conclude, Liga MX teams are making moves to improve their teams for the upcoming Apertura 2016. Chivas has already made some noise in the realm of off-season negotiations, but is far from being done wheeling and dealing.

This past tournament was a pleasant surprise for Chivas fans, with the team’s brilliant resurgence into the Liguilla. With that said, Chivas is still lacking in certain areas such as a main striker and some players to fortify its bench. The team could also see the departure of aging veterans and comrades who don’t fit into manager Matías Almeyda’s scheme. Here’s a quick rundown of some potential and concrete negotiations this off-season for Almeyda’s men.

Departures :

Raúl "Dedos" López

López 's fortunes were opposite of the team’s this season as his season slowly worsened since being benched midway through.  Chivas strung together a series of impressive performances to end its 2016 Clausura and never looked back. This move is all but set in stone as it is reported that "Dedos" has been sold to Grupo Pachuca and to play for either Pachuca or Leon in the future. 

Carlos Salcido

Chivas' defense was serviceable this past tournament as a couple of crucial individual errors were covered up by their collective ability. One of the pieces to the defensive midfield, Carlos Salcido, has been a consistent defensive performer for his side, despite what detractors may have to say about his long-shot-taking abilities. At 36 years of age, however, one has to wonder how much more he has left in the tank and just how much Chivas will pursue or groom a successor at the expense of his playing time.


Arrivals

Marco Bueno

The 2011 World Cup U-17 champion has seen little domestic playing time, but has had a track record of scoring when given opportunities. Similar to Angel Zaldívar, he's a young prospect with lots of potential, so perhaps not an immediate solution to the forward scoring problem. Unlike most moves, this one has indeed been confirmed.

Javier "Chuletita" Orozco

Orozco appears to be the closest to an immediate solution regarding the striker problem as he's had past success with Santos Laguna. In his prime, Orozco is no long-term experiment; this gives him an immediate leg up on strikers like Bueno and Zaldívar. His goal scoring ability has even earned him a call up to El Tri in the past.  

Javier Aquino

There have been plenty of reports backing a Tigres pair's move to Guadalajara lately.  With plenty of experience from Europe and in Liga MX, Aquino has proven to be one of the most disruptive players on the flank. Current finalist Monterrey had trouble containing his ability and such performances bode well for the former Villarreal man.

Jesús Dueñas

Dueñas is another proven player that Chivas can bring into the fold to mend any offensive woes and add depth to their midfield.  With the ability to uncork menacing long shots, he would be a welcome addition. He also has plenty of Liguilla experience thanks to his past tournaments with Tigres.

Retention

Matías Almeyda

With the amount of managers Chivas has gone through in the Jorge Vergara Era, it's worth noting that he wants Almeyda on the sidelines for the long haul. Vergara has signed Almeyda to an extension through the next five years.

Edwin Hernández

The former Leon man has enjoyed a surprising season with Chivas. As a part of a defense that managed to bend but not break during the latter half of the 2016 Clausura, the front office has done well to seal a permanent stay for Hernández.

Rodolfa Cota

Cota's loan has been extended for another year. The team's ascension in form coincided with that of the Mazatlán native's. This move is set with Chivas ceding young midfielder Víctor Guzmán on loan to Pachuca in exchange for another year of Cota between the posts.